Author Notes: Sorry for the big massive delay, but I've had more work to do than ever recently… ;__;
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters.
Taking his eyes off the receding backs of the two exorcists, Komui opens his clenched fist so that his palm faced the sky. A single golden cube lay in the centre of his palm. When he shook the French man's hand, he could see an unspoken message in his grey eyes.
'Lenalee and you might need this some day.'
●Кαηδα Ġαιδεή●
'Gah. I feel sick.' Kanda's face was a light shade of green as he stumbled off the large dark coloured ship named the Black Swan. Unlike the name that she had been given, the Black Swan's journey across the Atlantic Ocean cannot be described as a trip that was comfortable, swift and smooth like a swan would swim across the surface of a lake. Heavy winds had aided the Black Swan to swiftly reach her destination but had only caused the passengers much discomfort. More than half of her passengers had ended up sea sick while on board.
"Ah… That was a fabulous trip across the Atlantic Ocean!" The French man beside him stretched and took in the fresh European air. Kanda shot him a glare from beside the French man and mumbled something rudely which the man couldn't hear. "Now, to contact headquarters…" Tiedoll looked around and then spotted a man on a telephone in a nearby red telephone box. "Where's your golem Yuu?"
"Che…" Kanda blinked annoyingly as the black bat-like golem that had hidden in his collar emerged from his uniform collar before flapping its wings furiously to stay in the air.
When the man in the telephone box had hung up and left, Tiedoll entered the box and attached a wire from the golem to the telephone before picking up the telephone itself and speaking into it while Kanda leant against the box's glass wall while waiting. Not long after, Tiedoll came out of the telephone box and announced that Head Officer Wales had sent some finders to pick them up. As his golem perched lazily on his shoulder, Kanda listened as Tiedoll said, "Yuu, I think you've done enough training; training usually goes for several years but you've easily picked up things that other people take months to achieve. So I've decided after 2 years of travelling, I believe its time you became independent and start working for the Black Order. This time we return to the order to allow you to become a true exorcist."
Kanda stared at the French man's face blankly without any particular reaction. He had indeed grown taller and stronger during his travels with Tiedoll; he was sure if he looked in a mirror, he wouldn't see a weak boy anymore but a young man who had seen many things that no other man had seen. Even his skills as a swordsman had improved over the years.
●Кαηδα Ġαιδεή●
"Welcome back, General Tiedoll." Head Officer Wales took off his white beret and bowed along with several other scientists that stood behind him. When he stood up again, he gave Kanda a big grin and patted his head, making Kanda growl at him. He hated being treated like a kid. "You've grown so much Kanda!" Then with a warm smile on his face, Wales said, "Welcome home."
For the rest of the day, a million things awaited Kanda to complete. He had to see Hevlaska again and indeed, his synchronization rate had increased. At lunch a man who wore a pair of shaded glasses with stubble on his face and wore a lab coat with other odd garments had come over and sat across him at a table; that man had obviously not realised that Kanda wanted to eat his lunch in peace and quiet while he waited for Tiedoll to complete his reports to the grand generals.
"Oh? So you're the young kid who came back from training with General Tiedoll eh? We've got high hopes for ya!" The man grinned as he ripped out chunk from the piece of bread he held in his hand while Kanda quietly sipped his warm green tea. "Not quite the talking type are ya? Oh well… That's to be expected from what General Tiedoll's told me about you… A social humbug or something…" The man shrugged.
Something snapped in Kanda as the man continued to ramble on about what General Tiedoll had told him about when he had passed him in a hallway. His hands tightened around Mugen's hilt until he could bear no longer and withdrew the katana and the point of the black blade rested beneath the scientist's chin. "Name and purpose?" He asked roughly as he continued to glare at the horrified man sitting across from him.
When he didn't respond, Kanda held Mugen a little closer to his neck until the man spluttered, "Didi Lejeune of the Science department! I've just come to chat a little to you and the maker of Mugen wanted to meet you!"
The scientist had said his words so quickly that it took several seconds for everything to click into place and make sense to him then register in his head. He blinked surprisingly and slowly withdrew Mugen before putting on his sour look again and sheathing Mugen. Although he didn't show it, he was quite curious as to who had created this black blade as it was made with care and was practically invincible, having the ability to be able to cut through nearly anything in existence that had been made by God. Kanda mumbled a 'che' then finished his lunch before rising and leaving the scientist behind sitting rooted to his seat.
Kanda growled as he turned to face Didi, "Are we going or not?!"
Didi instantly shoved the rest of his bread roll into his mouth and hastily fell off his seat before smiling hesitantly and leading the way for the young exorcist. Then spiralled down one of the complicated set of staircase that lead down into the slightly lower parts of the tall ancient castle where the Black Order resided. The journey was so confusing, it was filled with so many twists and turns that it amazed the Japanese boy how the scientist managed to find his way through these long tunnels like a mole. Just when his patience was running short, the entrance to a large room was finally in sight and when they came through, they were overcome by a large room that would match the size of the cafeteria. Inside the hall men and women alike bustled about like busy bumblebees, working all their lives. They hurriedly signed paperwork, shouted across the room to one another for assistance and team leaders rushed around shouting orders to their subordinates. Kanda was somehow astonished by the antlike system that ran beneath the less busy floors up above in the Black Order. Didi beckoned for Kanda to follow him as they pushed past the crowd of people rushing around then they approached a door where the sounds of metal clashing on metal could be heard from. As they entered the small illuminated room, heat exploded in their faces as they watched as a stout but muscled old man in his late forties lifted his muscled right arm above his head and let it swing down and the hammer in his hand created a deafening clash as it collided with the thin linear sheet of gleaming red hot metal that rested on an anvil.
Seeing that the man had not taken notice of his guests, Didi shouted above the clashing noises, "Old man Zu! I brought the kid!" Kanda shot the scientist a glare at the mention of the word 'kid'. When Didi's voice had found its way to the old man's ears, the man stopped his work and turned around to face Didi and the Japanese exorcist. The man's face was covered with soot and beads of sweat formed on his face. His short hair was shades of different greys and black with yellow splashed across his figure while shadows danced on the walls. Closing the small door to hide the blazing fire from view, the room instantly dimed and the strong shade of yellow disappeared although the strong stench of ashes and smoke still hung in the air.
"The name's Zu. Call me old man Zu like Lejeune does. I don't care." His voice was rough and firm, "So you're the kid who chose Mugen? Heard you made good use of my child too." Kanda could tell Zu hates people who go in circles when saying things and that he treats each of his creations like his own children.
The young exorcist nodded his head. "I'm Kanda Yuu, General Tiedoll's student."
"Ah… So you're that art-maniac's student?" Zu chuckled and said jokingly, "Then you must be ace in the art of sword. Well to be honest, I wanted to see you because I wanted to see how you put my dear child to use. I've also arranged for an opponent for you and he should be waiting at the training grounds by now. Come now, hurry along!"
Zu left his tools behind and dusted himself as best as he could before opening the door leading outside and urged the scientist and exorcist outside. Once they were faced with the busy bustling of people, they set off across the traffic and snaked their way up stairs and down corridors to reach the training grounds that were in the higher parts of the Order, situated above the cafeteria and lounge. Minutes later, they arrived at the entrance of the third level of the training grounds. The large room was built with sturdy brick walls and lights that dangled from the ceiling to provide enough light for training exorcists to see. Wooden steps lead up to the large gateway that probably allows you to access the other levels of the training grounds, but it was currently blocked off with a lowered portcullis. From the uneven ground, Kanda could tell that this level of the training grounds was used often.
"That took you quite some time, Didi." A loud upbeat voice echoed across the large room. "Oh? You're the new guy the general took in when he was in Japan right?"
Blinking confusingly at the slightly older Turkish boy that wore a black and white cloak with a cowl where a round golden bell dangled from the point, although the bell looked heavy, it would weigh down the cowl so that it kept slipping off the Turkish boy's head. There were purple markings on his face just beneath his eyes. An impatient look was painted on the teenager's features.
Breaking the awkward silence that hung in the air, Kanda narrowed his eyes, "Do I know you? You look familiar." When the other exorcist opened his mouth to complain again, Kanda added, "Oh, you're the idiot who loves to kick things. Your name was Daisy or something?"
Enraged by the Japanese boy's comments, the bell attached to the tip of his cowl detached itself miraculously and with a single kick, made the ball fly over his head and then fall back to the ground where he timed his kick perfectly and smashed the bell towards him while it rang melodiously, "It's Daisya Barry and you'll do well to remember it, girly face! Charity Bell, activate!"
Instantly leaping out of harms way, Didi and Zu only escaped the speeding bell by a hair's breadth while Kanda simple sidestepped to avoid the ball without drawing Mugen out of its scabbard. Kanda smirked devilishly in response to Daisya's 'poor' attack and unsheathed Mugen as it gleamed under the lights. "Mugen, activate!" As he traced his index and middle finger down the blade's smooth surface, the black katana shined a brilliant shade of blue as the blade became shimmering silver.
"T-t-they started without us saying anything…" Didi stammered as he crawled over where Zu was, watching the two exorcists fight in the training grounds while debris flew in all directions.
"That's what I call a good swordsman. Straight and to the point!" Zu grinned widely as he watched Kanda.